University of Colorado to Add Women's Sport, Likely Lacrosse

The University of Colorado may very well be the next school to join the pack. Colorado Athletic Director Mike Bohn has confirmed the school will be adding a women's sport. Likely, that sport will be lacrosse.

When the University of Southern California announced in late 2010 the addition women's lacrosse to its illustrious athletics program, the lacrosse world took notice. Another big-time athletic department taking on the sport also made a case for the rest of the Pac-12 schools to consider lacrosse as well. With the Buffaloes' recent move to the Pac-12, women's lacrosse in Boulder became an even likelier proposition.

“Anytime we have an opportunity to represent our institution with intercollegiate athletic teams, it bolsters our reputation across the country," says Bohn, who since being hired in spring 2005 has brought in new head coaches in three of CU's most prominent sports and led CU's move to the Pac-12. "With lacrosse popularity growing and the popularity of lacrosse in Colorado, it's an extremely viable option for us to consider.”

Bohn and Associate Athletic Director Julie Manning said the department has taken a look at as many as six or seven sports when it came to choosing what sport could be next. That Colorado is adding sports is an exciting prospect for fans and alumni as it's been quite some time since the department expanded. CU eliminated six sports in 1980 and dropped men's tennis in 2005. The last time the school added a sport was women's soccer in 1996.

"We're coming out of a financially challenging situation with our move to the Pac-12 that our future is bright and we recognize that now's the opportunity to try and gain some additional opportunity for student athletes and represent the institution," Bohn said.

Lacrosse is the fastest growing sport in the state, and Colorado has made significant strides in recent years in terms of developing top-tier college talent. Perhaps the best and most well-known player to come out of the state is former Duke and Team USA midfielder Caroline Cryer, a two-time first-team All-American and 2007 Tewaaraton finalist. Cryer's success isn't an anomaly — high school programs like Cherry Creek and Kent Denver have had success on the national stage, and the state's premier club team, Team 180, produced 18 college recruits from it's roster for the class of 2012.

The fan base for the sport is growing as well, which was well-documented when the University of Denver men's team hosted the first NCAA Tournament game west of the Mississippi last spring and with Inside Lacrosse's addition of the Mile High Classic to the event slate this year. Bohn cited the growth of the sport in the state as well as the school's move to the Pac-12 as reasons that lacrosse is so high on the department's list.

"It's a tremendous opportunity," says Manning. "It wouldn't matter if it was a male or a female sport. To provide an opportunity for young women to be a student athlete at a university that has the reputation that this institution does is amazing."

For more analysis on why lacrosse is a good fit for the University of Colorado, click here.

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